Write a letter to the editor of The Rising Nepal to inform Lim/her about the need of development project in your locality
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Answer:
26 July 2021
The Editor
The Rising Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal’s rich cultural heritage is woven into the fabric of everyday life. From the temples and palaces in Kathmandu valley to the small alcoves holding devotional statues nested on busy streets all over Nepal’s unique architectural and cultural heritage is recognised worldwide. This remarkable heritage is not only part of what makes Nepal a popular travel destination, but also something that needs to be properly protected, maintained and preserved, so that future generations can enjoy it as much as we do today.
Protecting and preserving Nepal’s cultural heritage sites also makes good business sense. For example, when I travelled to Mustang this past June, I saw chortens, monasteries, and intricate paintings unlike anything I have seen anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, many of these incredible cultural sites were in disrepair. If these important relics can be preserved and upgraded, I believe that Mustang could become an international tourist destination. Attracting more tourists to Mustang—or even just to Nepal—will require a concerted effort to improve infrastructure. It is encouraging that the government is taking steps to improve airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa, two important tourist hubs, and I hope work continues to improve roads throughout the country so more people can access and appreciate Nepal’s incredible cultural heritage.
As we continue restoring and constructing Nepal’s cultural heritage sites, there should also be an emphasis on constructing appropriate physical infrastructures so that the monuments and cultural heritage sites are accessible for all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities and age. Nepal has an opportunity to use traditional materials and construction methods to incorporate accessibility during restorations. Nepal can attract new customers and increase tourism revenue by making sites accessible to all, as tourists with disabilities are becoming a growing part of the market. Accessibility will also allow all people of Nepal, including those with disabilities, to better explore their heritage.
Tourists from all over the world travel to Nepal—including 50,000 from the United States in 2015. Some come to Nepal for trekking, but others come to experience Nepal’s diverse mixture of religions, ethnic groups, and cultures reflected in its architecture, traditions and festivals. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism contributed $1.7 billion dollars to Nepal’s economy in 2015, about 9 percent of the country’s GDP. However, there is ample room for improvement. Approximately 550,000 tourists visited Nepal in 2015, but other Asian countries saw many more—1.8 million in Sri Lanka, 3.5 million in Laos, 4.7 million in Myanmar, 4.8 million in Cambodia and more than 25 million in Malaysia, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Preserving and restoring Nepal’s monuments and traditions—as well as creating the infrastructure needed to reach them—can attract tourists to visit Nepal. Furthermore, by investing in cultural heritage, Nepal will train more traditional craftspeople—keeping these traditions alive and creating new jobs. Nepal’s history can serve as a foundation for its future prosperity.
Sincerely
Nikita